RBC Gateway & Four Seasons - 37 stories - 519'

[Didier]

What about the screen thing wrapped around the lower part? What do people think about that?

[seanrichardryan]

Reminded me of the ceramic screen on the newish Times tower in NY. Okay with it.

[seanrichardryan]

Also, situating a tall tower on the corner of the site leaves the other 3/4 of the block for more density 20 years down the road if it's designed right.

Something like this:

[John]

I'm one that feel that any taller tower should be on the Mall, but that is just MO. As the tallest tower we can point people to the river by saying you just go a few block past the tallest tower. It will be the North mall beginning and/or terminus. Look forward to how they work the street level and the atrium into the transit program.

Yes, having the tallest building in the city (and region for that matter) on the north end on Nicollet Mall is a great place maker and reinforces Nicollet Mall as the premier street and center of energy for the whole city.

[m b p]

I haven't really dug into this since the proposals came out, but here's a thought experiment:

Let's make the United Properties proposal a few stories taller, say 40-45 (currently proposed at 36). Now bring Duval down a bit, assuming some value engineering, so 60-65 stories.

Is the Duval proposal still as good? Or is it only preferred because it is tall?

Even if they were the same height, the duval proposal is clean and simple with long unbroken lines. The UP proposal is junky, janky, and belongs in 1950's Honolulu.

If the duval proposal is boring because it only uses cutouts and interesting materials, The UP proposal should be below boring because it truly uses nothing. I guess maybe you could call that a setback?

Don't get me started on Doran.

Of course... these are all just my opinions.

[sushisimo]

I like the Duval proposal, and I'm sure there'd be tweaks, but keeping with the sleek lines.

I'm looking to see some creative ideas on how this development promotes the idea of leading people to the river. Right now, the Hennepin, Washington, Nicollet area is truly a nasty experience for pedestrians. Especially the "T" intersection at Nicollet and Washington. I'm not sure what this Duval proposal could do, but maybe play with the atrium, have it connect over Washington so peds don't have to Frogger themselves with the crazy cars and make it easier to get into a revamped Gateway Park and onward. But then Voya's arcade juts into the space where you could cross over, so...

[ECtransplant]

irregardless

I'll be that guy. That's not a word.

[aeisenberg]

I would love to see Duval simply tweak the square floor plates to match the angles of the streets surrounding that block. It would maintain the simplicity and make the shape 1000x more meaningful.

[emcee squared]

I would love to hear what others would like Duval to do. It sounds like small minded thinking is coming out with many of the negative comments. So what if it surpasses the IDS? Progress. No one stays on top forever. A tower of this height would be great for Minneapolis. I actually like the simpler design and it would add another unique element that is different than the other tall big 3. I personally like the building for its simplistic and sleek nature along with its height going above 900.

Have you ever been to Atlanta? They have a few art deco styled towers and its rather boring.

I think when you are talking Atlanta most of the towers there are Post Modern which was big in the 80's and 90's. Also some of their best towers are out in what I think of more as a suburb than the core. Midtown or Buckhill I think.

*Buckhead

But, true. Midtown Atlanta is still considered the core, but Buckhead is just few miles away and used to be a separate city. From afar, it almost blends into one long strip of buildings. That is where the most striking architecture has been over the last decade. Midtown is just one street with tall buildings and Downtown is a dud.

Someone mentioned off-setting the tower 45 degrees, which would be neat, but I can't stop thinking of when they did that here in Atlanta with the Bank of America Plaza; thankfully our tower will have a base and not a parking lot surrounding a city block.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_of_Am ... ban_design

[Tom H.]

irregardless

I'll be that guy. That's not a word.

Sure it's a word. It's just a silly word that means something like "without a lack of regard". It literally (and I use that word literally) means the opposite of what ECtransplant meant it to mean, though.

[Nathan]

irregardless

I'll be that guy. That's not a word.

any linguist will tell you that regional dialect is more important to preserve, culturally, than perfect textbook English, I'll 'borrow'you that little nugget to think about.

*here ya go, snarksters. http://huff.to/1fpXEBq

[LakeCharles]

irregardless

I'll be that guy. That's not a word.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irregardless

"Irregardless is a word" the article starts with, and has been in use since 1795.

[mattaudio]

Ugh I can't stand when people say irregardless. Or I borrowed that to him. Sorry.

[Nathan]

Ugh I can't stand when people say irregardless. Or I borrowed that to him. Sorry.

You're like a slut shamer of your own regional dialect. I have actually chosen to start saying things like that again after learning a lot about regional languages dying all over the world. If you think new Orleans would be the same with perfect English think again. The twin cities are becoming so linguistically and culturally generic it's embarrassing.
#whitebread

[mattaudio]

It's embarrassing to *not* say irregardless?

[Nathan]

I know. Wrestle with that one fora while, but then consider that the improper usage of words us what makes every region and country that speaks English charming and different. You like it when other cultures do it, but you shame your own? Sad. I mean Australians have terrible proper English but it's wonderful.

[mnmike]

Well, this sure is a tangent...but let me just say, I was born and raised here, and I have never used the word irregardless or most of these other supposed regional dialect words. I am from SLP....do I need to be from the country or something? So I am not sure I buy that saying things wrong is really a "regional dialect" of Minneapolis. Maybe rural MN?

Aaaannnyway.....

Oh, and PS. I certainly don't claim to have perfect grammar either I use shortcuts and I am a big fan of using three periods for some reason...It's like a pause, but longer than a comma? Oh, I don't know.

To say something on this topic and make my post more relvant... I actually like the Doran tower and the ground level of the project. The 6 story building is awful for that site though, and needs to be more substantial. In general though, I don't hate their ideas at all. I like the light tower type feature at the top.

[PhilmerPhil]

My homeowner's insurance agent uses three periods after every sentence... It makes me kind of uncomfortable...

[Tyler]

I just want to know what to do when I actually want to describe something as veiny.

[mnmike]

Now that is just excessive...